Wrapping up a Kickstarter
Today I wrapped up The Isle of Cats: Don’t forget the Kittens! Kickstarter and it’s a strange feeling. Having spent over a year of my life dedicated to planning, launching, and managing the campaign it has all come to an end.
I picked today to be the end date as fulfilment has completed and the vast majority of backers will no longer need any support or information. There will be a few people who still haven’t received their items but at this point that is best addressed directly as the issue will need to be reviewed on a one-by-one basis.
The last update
The last update is one of the most important updates you’ll ever write as it will be the first thing anyone sees who comes across your project later.
When you launch your next Kickstarter, this will be the update people read when they go back to see how you did.
The update should clearly state it will be the last one, end on a positive note, and provide all the relevant information for people coming across it later.
Here’s the key information I recommend including:
- Confirmation fulfilment has completed.
- A statement that this is the last update.
- Information on how to buy your product for anyone who missed the Kickstarter.
- Details on how to get support and replacements.
- Specific instructions on how to get help if you’ve not yet received your items.
- A sneak preview of your next project.
- A thank you message.
Continued activity
To me, ending a Kickstarter simply means sending no more updates, I still plan to regularly check the comments, messages, and be active on the platform for at least another month until the need for support disappears.
At which point I will reduce my checks of the page from daily to weekly and eventually monthly. The timeline for this will match the interactions on the page as it is critical to help the last few people and not just move on once 99% of people have their stuff.
When you come to wrapping up your Kickstarter, remember to leave a good impression and include everything a future visitor might need.
Frank West
Frank West is a gamer and designer based in Bristol, UK. He published his first board game, The City of Kings, in 2018 and now works on other games and organising events in the local area. His goal? To design and publish games focusing on immersive themes, fun mechanics and beautiful components. If you have any questions or would just like a chat, feel free to get in touch at any time!